Affirmative Action Is Not the Solution Essays

Affirmative action is a social policy created to promote the welfare of minorities by supporting the idea that individuals are all created equal and should not be judged by race or gender. Therefore, in situations like job and university applications, we should consider minorities to be as feasible a choice for hire as a white male candidate, taking into consideration their background. In short, it tries to give minorities that have been at a disadvantage their whole life, an opportunity to ‘equal the playing field’ by providing a broader context by which to measure an applicant or prospective employee. In the end, however, this goal is not realized. Instead, superficial ‘quotas’ are established and the discrimination that was once placed on the minorities now turns the other way.
One of the arguments against affirmative action is that it injures white men and violates their rights. If were to take a closer look at the affirmative action laws, we can see why this would be true. For example, let’s take a hypothetical situation of two males, one white and another individual who happens to be a minority, both sending in college applications to Harvard to compete for admission. Unfortunately, the university only has one available spot and must decide between the white individual and the minority. The white male has slightly better grades and quite a few more volunteer hours, while both of them excelled in sports and completed two foreign languages. Under the current affirmative action policies, the minority would probably get the final position because of the perceived need for ethnic diversity in the college atmosphere, despite the fact that he did not have the stronger academic credentials. Would this be considered just? In this case not only would affirmative action be serving an injustice to the white individual, but it would also help create a loophole by indirectly establishing a legal form of discrimination.
The counterpoint to this argument is that although affirmative action creates a larger obstacle for white men to achieve, such measures are necessary in order to break the cycle of de facto employment and school discrimination. However, this does not seem to be a valid counterpoint. If we take a look at another hypothetical situation we can see why it is not ...

... middle of paper ...

...” However, this argument is not compelling, as the best way to increase productivity and improve the economy is to hire on merit. Hiring based on something other than objective merit may result in economic inefficiency and a less qualified staff. If minorities have a qualified resume and are available, they will meet the criteria of the employer. Once again, it is more effective to treat the disease itself, rather than to stoop down to the same level and discriminate to treat the symptoms. In athletics, for example, in spite of past discrimination blacks have excelled, not because standards were lowered but because barriers were eliminated. Now more than ever blacks comprise the largest ethnic group in professional sports and have come to dominate some of the most lucrative sports such as football and basketball, and are now using their earned social capital to give back to their communities to help others along the way. This is a prime example of how minorities can be helped without lowering the standard by which others are also measured by. To improve our standards as a whole, we must remove the ball and chain on minorities, rather than adding a heavier ball and chain on whites.

Click the button above to view the complete essay, speech, term paper, or research paper

Need Writing Help?

Is Diversity The Solution to Affirmative Action? Essay
- IS DIVERSITY THE SOLUTION TO AFFIRMATIVE ACTION Equal employment practices, in many organizations, have been established through affirmative action programs. These programs were created by government mandate to create a fair and non-discriminatory working environment in organizations. The need for affirmative action was recognized as early as the 1940’s, as a concept, based on the racial diversity of our country. The goal was the redistribution of opportunities on the basis of race. Now as we approach the 21st century, affirmative action seems to be a dying issue, legally and otherwise.... [tags: Equality Racial Papers]:: 13 Works Cited

Essay about Affirmative Action is Not the Answer
- Affirmative Action is Not the Answer Created in the 1960's, affirmative action programs attempted to undo past racial discrimination by giving preference to blacks and other minorities. The idea behind these programs was to help minorities gain the representation in the job market that paralleled their percentage of the population (Finley 1). Unfortunately, affirmative action has mutated into a thirty-year-old policy that places many underqualified minorities in positions over more qualified non-minorities. Preferential treatment of minorities has caused problems not only in the workplace, but also in our universities throughout the country. Due to these cur... [tags: affirmative action argumentative persuasive]:: 5 Works Cited

Free Affirmative Action Essays - I'm White, Angry, and Against Affirmative Action
- I'm White, Angry, and Against Affirmative Action Papers are piling up on top of a desk. People are running around trying to meet their deadlines. Assignments are being pushed back to later dates. Phones are being answered, but put on hold for the next available representatives. The president of the firm puts out a notice of hire. The word is spread throughout the business community through the newspaper and the internet. Resumes are received every business day. The board members of the firm review hundreds of resumes that are received daily.... [tags: affirmative action argumentative persuasive]

Whether or Not Quotas for Job Applicant Selection Are a Solution to Racial Inequality in the United States
- In this essay I will consider whether or not quotas for job applicant selection are a solution to racial inequality in the United States of America. In considering this subject I will rely on In Defense of Quotas by James Rachels who argues that the use of Quotas is justifiable in certain circumstances. First I will qualify my use of the word race and clarify what I mean when I reference racial equality. Then I will present an argument that quotas will not work as the sole solution to racial inequality.... [tags: affirmative action in the workplace]

Affirmative Action Essay
- What can be done about the majority of higher paying jobs going to the white males, and the issue of racial/sexual discrimination in both the workplace and in education. To this, the government already has its so-called solution… affirmative action. Affirmative action forces businesses and colleges to hire a certain number of minorities including women, so as to fill a government assessed quota. The solution is not to get even with the white males by disregarding either their hard work through high school to achieve the grade to get into their desired college or their superiority over a competitor for a job position just because the competitor happens to belong to a minority group.... [tags: Affirmative Action Essays]:: 1 Works Cited

Affermative Action Essay
- Affirmative Action Affirmative Action efforts were started in 1964 to end the long history of overlooking qualified people of color and women from higher education. Affirmative Action sets standards for a business or office of admissions, so that a white man does not have the upper-hand over an equally or greater educated minority. The initial way the government tried to justify Affirmative Action was to develop a human resource approach: first identifying the problem, which is racism then establishing the solution (Phillips 67).... [tags: Affirmative Action Essays]:: 3 Works Cited

We Do NOT Need Affirmative Action Essay example
- Affirmative Action is steps that are taken to ensure that the opportunities are equal between minorities and others. There have been many heated debates over this issue, and maybe the worst is yet to come. Some might feel it is necessary because they feel opportunities are not equal for minorities. Many people believe that gaps need to be closed between minorities and others, but there is a difference in the method. I feel the current method is not constitutional, lawful, and not proven to be an adequate solution.... [tags: Affirmative Action Not Necessary 2014]:: 4 Works Cited

Essay on Affirmative Action
- Affirmative action, is it still needed in this day and age. Has it accomplished what it was supposed to. Many people say that if America concentrated on programs that provided assistance to the most needy then they would have the opportunities that affirmative action is trying to provide. By going into the ghettos of our cities and stimulating business, thereby, promoting economic growth, the disenfranchised will reap the benefits. Have they been reaping the benefits of affirmation action. As a nation devoted to equality, the United States must do away with unproductive race-dividing policies.... [tags: Affirmative Action Essays]:: 3 Works Cited

Essay on Affirmative Action
- â€œThe â€˜under representationâ€™ of any racial group, it was decided, was evidence of discriminationâ€?(Guernsey). Affirmative action did not start out as a reverse discrimination towards white males, but it was meant to help everybody, but failed nearly completely after a time of which it was affected. The original concept of affirmative action excluded any mention of preference. â€œLaunched during the late 1960s by the administration of President Richard M. Nixon, affirmative action programs call for guidelines and goals in the hiring of racial and ethnic minorities, the handicapped, and women.... [tags: Affirmative Action Essays]:: 5 Works Cited

Affirmative Action Essay
- Affirmative Action has been an issue of contention since its inception during the Civil Rights struggles of mid 20th century America. Discrimination could no longer be tolerated and the Unites States government had an obligation to encourage equality at all levels of the social infrastructure. The main type of discrimination being addressed by Affirmative Action programs was racial discrimination. The Merriam Webster dictionary defines racism as: ‘a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.’ The Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination of any kind, laid the foun... [tags: Race]:: 6 Works Cited